Yifat Merbl, Scientific co-founder of Promise Bio, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be included in Nature’s 10 for 2025. My heartfelt thanks go to my students for their curiosity, dedication, and passion for science; to my mentors for their wisdom and guidance; and to my family and friends for their unwavering love and support. And to Motek, thank you for being my lighthouse, reminding me always of the values that truly matter. I am also profoundly grateful to the Weizmann community – what a scientific environment!
This recognition, above all, serves as a reminder of how much we still do not understand. The discovery of proteasome-derived defense peptides began as a small anomaly – one of those surprising signals that science occasionally offers, quietly insisting on being followed. It revealed an unexpected layer of regulation in the “life after death” of proteins, underscoring once again that proteasomes are not merely destructive machines but also generative systems, producing molecular information that shapes how cells adapt, communicate, and make decisions.
What excites me most is realizing how much there is still to uncover. Each answer opens a new set of questions, and each question expands the map of what is possible.
I am grateful for the opportunity to continue this journey, and we are committed to translating our findings to impact human health!”